Occasional verse, moral and sacred Published for the instruction and amusement of the Candidly Serious and Religious [by Edward Perronet] |
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 | Occasional verse, moral and sacred |  |
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The real and only Cause, Occasion, and Motive of Quarrelling, Disputation, and Resentment, in all Matters of Controversy, whether Civil, Political, or Religious; traced from their first simple and efficient Source.
From whence come wars? James iii. 1.
From vain conceits, that wilful blunders make,
From pride that gives, what no man's pride will take;
Offence, affronts, in each a thousand airs,
That sometimes costs more than a life repairs:
Female ambition to be always right,
As shone the sun to be alone our light:
The childish fear of contradiction's thought,
That points an error, or that hits a blot;
The coxcomb's boast of finding something new,
Instead of following what's the present, true;
The self-preferring victory to truth,
And swear that bad, that is at worst uncouth;
As if true wisdom had not eyes to see
That truth itself's the greatest victory.
From pride that gives, what no man's pride will take;
Offence, affronts, in each a thousand airs,
That sometimes costs more than a life repairs:
Female ambition to be always right,
As shone the sun to be alone our light:
The childish fear of contradiction's thought,
That points an error, or that hits a blot;
The coxcomb's boast of finding something new,
Instead of following what's the present, true;
The self-preferring victory to truth,
And swear that bad, that is at worst uncouth;
As if true wisdom had not eyes to see
That truth itself's the greatest victory.
Instead of this, our interest or applause,
Is thought of far more moment than the laws
Of nature's frame, or all her spheres contain,
The sun's vast orbit, or its regent's reign.
All this is nothing, when compar'd to him,
Whose all depends on some new-fangled whim.
Is thought of far more moment than the laws
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The sun's vast orbit, or its regent's reign.
All this is nothing, when compar'd to him,
Whose all depends on some new-fangled whim.
“Not credit me! what, contradict my word!
“And give the lie to a two-legged lord!
“'Tis not the thing, nor is it to be borne;
“Sir! I resent it, and demand return:
“My honour's hurt, and that is more to me
“Than if whole worlds were smother'd in the sea!”
“And give the lie to a two-legged lord!
“'Tis not the thing, nor is it to be borne;
“Sir! I resent it, and demand return:
“My honour's hurt, and that is more to me
“Than if whole worlds were smother'd in the sea!”
So then, you find, if nothing else withstood,
Those men of words would soon demand your blood.
Pride knows no bounds, when once its zeal is fir'd,
And stamp'd religion, becomes hell inspir'd:
For then come priests, inquisitors, and lords,
The holy falces, and the sacred swords;
While, step by step, as magic quits her cell,
You pack from Carfex , and thenceforth to hell!
Those men of words would soon demand your blood.
Pride knows no bounds, when once its zeal is fir'd,
And stamp'd religion, becomes hell inspir'd:
For then come priests, inquisitors, and lords,
The holy falces, and the sacred swords;
While, step by step, as magic quits her cell,
You pack from Carfex , and thenceforth to hell!
Now see the harmless hero of debate,
The little Cesar of his learned state,
Strutting, amidst the letter'd group he stands,
And, as he reasons, full assent demands;
Or thinks it strange that rationals should doubt,
If he's the man that found the secret out;
At least discover'd, in that mystery,
What the first finder had not eyes to see;
And thus improv'd, commands your tongues to raise
A thund'ring tribute to his matchless praise.
Such things are men! nor is the fault confin'd
To names or sects—it seizes all mankind:
Kings, thieves, and saints, philosophers and fools,
Who dance the rostrum, or who damn the schools,
Learn'd or unlearn'd, in this they all unite,
Whoever's wrong, himself is in the right;
And each his reasons, as he has his rod,
To scourge who spurn, or bold dispure his nod;
Dares say, “Tis not, because it cannot be,”
While pride will have impossibility!
The little Cesar of his learned state,
Strutting, amidst the letter'd group he stands,
And, as he reasons, full assent demands;
Or thinks it strange that rationals should doubt,
If he's the man that found the secret out;
At least discover'd, in that mystery,
What the first finder had not eyes to see;
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A thund'ring tribute to his matchless praise.
Such things are men! nor is the fault confin'd
To names or sects—it seizes all mankind:
Kings, thieves, and saints, philosophers and fools,
Who dance the rostrum, or who damn the schools,
Learn'd or unlearn'd, in this they all unite,
Whoever's wrong, himself is in the right;
And each his reasons, as he has his rod,
To scourge who spurn, or bold dispure his nod;
Dares say, “Tis not, because it cannot be,”
While pride will have impossibility!
Thus then it is, and so has ever been,
Since man, the master, grew the slave of sin:
The fault is old, so early it begun,
And will keep on until the setting sun
Rise on new worlds, and a new glory shine
Around the creature, as at first, divine.
Since man, the master, grew the slave of sin:
The fault is old, so early it begun,
And will keep on until the setting sun
Rise on new worlds, and a new glory shine
Around the creature, as at first, divine.
Then, seen alike, we shall one judgment form,
One lamp shall light us, and one ardor warm;
Or where dissent, if then dissent can be,
We shall at least in this one point agree,
That build who list, with stubble or with stone,
One truth there is, that swallows all in one,
A Truth eternal as the eternal Sire,
His own resemblance, and His Nature's fire,
That self-existent like Himself is found,
His Being's glory, in eternal round:
That fill'd with Him, fills all beneath, above,
“That god is truth; and that that truth is Love!”
One lamp shall light us, and one ardor warm;
Or where dissent, if then dissent can be,
We shall at least in this one point agree,
That build who list, with stubble or with stone,
One truth there is, that swallows all in one,
A Truth eternal as the eternal Sire,
His own resemblance, and His Nature's fire,
That self-existent like Himself is found,
His Being's glory, in eternal round:
That fill'd with Him, fills all beneath, above,
“That god is truth; and that that truth is Love!”
| Occasional verse, moral and sacred | |